How to Get Better at Platforming Games: Tips and Tricks From Someone Who’s Been There
Platforming games, man. I’ve spent countless hours jumping, running, and failing my way through them. Whether it’s the classic Super Mario or something more modern like Celeste, there’s always something about platformers that keeps pulling me back in, even though they make me rage quit more than I’d care to admit. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck on a particularly tricky jump or dying for the 50th time, you’re not alone. But hey, after years of trial, error, and lots of frustration (and a few broken controllers), I’ve figured out some things that really helped me level up my platforming skills.
So if you’re looking to get better at platforming games, here are a few key tips that’ve worked for me. Trust me, you’ll start feeling more confident with every leap and landing. Just don’t expect to be flawless overnight. Platformers are all about persistence, patience, and, of course, practice.
1. Know Your Character’s Movement
First off, the most obvious thing you need to do is get comfy with how your character moves. Sounds simple, right? Well, you’d be surprised how many times I’ve gotten caught off guard by a character’s jump arc or speed. In Super Mario, for example, Mario’s jump is very precise, but in Celeste, the jump mechanics are tighter and more forgiving, especially with the dash mechanic.
Personal Story: I learned this the hard way while playing Hollow Knight. I’d always try to jump over enemies without fully understanding the mechanics behind jumping and dodging. After getting frustrated for days, I finally realized that I was rushing my inputs, not taking the time to feel out my character’s abilities. The second I slowed down and focused on movement, the platforming felt way smoother.
Pro Tip:
Spend time in the game’s training area or easy levels to really learn your character’s movements. Don’t just rush through them.
| Game Title | Character Movement Tip |
|---|---|
| Celeste | Master the dash and wall jump mechanics early on. |
| Super Mario | Practice controlling jump height and distance in non-critical situations. |
| Hollow Knight | Learn the timing of the jump and attack abilities, they affect your movement. |
2. Timing Is Everything
Timing is something that took me way too long to figure out. If you’re trying to rush through a platformer, you’ll likely get punished with some cheap deaths. The thing with platformers is that a lot of the more difficult jumps or obstacles are there to make you get the timing right, not just the angle or direction.
Personal Story: I remember playing Donkey Kong Country on the SNES and thinking I could just “mash buttons” to get through the levels faster. That’s a huge no-no. Some jumps require you to wait a second to line up the perfect shot. Rushing it leads to falling short, and believe me, you’ll do that a lot more than you think.
Pro Tip: Don’t rush. It might seem boring, but sometimes pausing for a second and waiting for the right moment can make all the difference. It’s about getting the rhythm down. Once you’re in the zone, things click into place.
Key Timing Tips:
- Wait for enemies to pass – sometimes it’s better to wait than rush into a jump.
- Look for visual cues – many games have small animations or sound cues that indicate when it’s safe to jump or move forward.
| Game Title | Timing Tip |
|---|---|
| Donkey Kong Country | Wait for platforms to align before jumping, don’t rush. |
| Celeste | Pay attention to the dashes and wall jumps, timing is crucial to reach further areas. |
| Super Meat Boy | Fast reflexes are key, but don’t rush unless you’ve mastered the levels. |
3. Learn to “Flow” Through Levels
Once you get the basics down—movement, timing, and so on—it’s time to think about flow. This is something I didn’t really get until I played Celeste for the first time. There’s a rhythm to platforming that, when you get it right, feels amazing. You’re not just thinking about each individual jump, you’re chaining movements together like a smooth, uninterrupted flow. It’s like a dance.
Personal Story: One of the things I struggled with at first was overthinking my jumps. I’d stop mid-level, evaluating each obstacle and hesitating. The more I played, the more I realized I was killing my own flow. The trick? Let the level’s rhythm guide you. It’s a game of reaction, but the more relaxed you are, the smoother things get. In Celeste, once I stopped overthinking, I was able to breeze through sequences of jumps without even realizing it.
Pro Tip:
Try to chain movements without stopping. When you jump, immediately think about your next move. Once you learn to flow, platforming will feel almost natural.
| Game Title | Flow Tip |
|---|---|
| Celeste | Don’t hesitate mid-jump. Keep your momentum going, especially in fast-paced sequences. |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Chain jumping off walls or ledges to stay in motion, making difficult sequences easier. |
| Hollow Knight | Flow through the environment by using your dash and wall jump in quick succession. |
4. Practice Makes (Almost) Perfect
There’s no sugarcoating it—practice is key to getting better at platforming games. That doesn’t mean you should sit there for hours on end in one spot getting stuck (though that might happen anyway). What it does mean is that consistency over time will lead to improvement.
Personal Story: I used to think that playing a game for hours would make me better. But after failing countless times on the same level in Super Meat Boy, I learned that just playing more isn’t always the answer. What really helped me was breaking it down—playing sections over and over until I nailed them. The key to practice is repetition, yes, but with focus.
Pro Tip:
Focus on one difficult section at a time. Don’t try to beat an entire level if you’re struggling. Tackle it piece by piece.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Checkpoints and Rewind Features
Okay, this one’s for the purists who don’t like to take shortcuts. I get it—part of the fun of platformers is the challenge. But honestly, using checkpoints, save states, or rewind features doesn’t make you any less of a gamer. These are there to help you, especially in tough levels or during particularly frustrating sections.
Personal Story: When I first played Super Meat Boy, I was against using checkpoints. I wanted to do everything “legit.” But after a particularly grueling sequence that had me restarting from the very beginning over and over, I finally caved. Using checkpoints saved my sanity—and let me focus on the real challenge, not the backtracking.
Pro Tip: Don’t be too proud to use the features that make your gaming life easier. It’s about enjoying the game, not torturing yourself for the sake of pride.
| Game Title | Checkpoint Tip |
|---|---|
| Super Meat Boy | Embrace the checkpoints. It helps reduce unnecessary frustration. |
| Celeste | Use the in-game assist options if you’re really stuck. It doesn’t detract from the fun. |
| Hollow Knight | Checkpoints are your friend—don’t make things harder than they need to be. |
Wrapping It Up
So, that’s my journey to getting better at platforming games. It hasn’t been easy, and trust me, I’ve thrown my controller across the room more times than I care to admit. But with patience, practice, and the right mindset, it’s possible to break through those walls of frustration and actually start enjoying the process.
Whether you’re playing through classics like Super Mario or diving into more modern titles like Celeste, remember—it’s all about mastering movement, learning timing, finding your flow, and practicing. And hey, don’t forget to have fun along the way. If all else fails, there’s always the rewind button.
Now, get out there and start jumping!